 The
Capital Striders were formed in the mid-1980's to promote
running in Central Iowa. Things have changed a bit over the
last 20+ years, but the Striders have always been there for
the elite as well as the beginning runner.
Officially incorporated in 2003, our main purpose as an organization
is to, "Promote and encourage running through the education
of the community on the benefits of physical fitness and amateur
sport." For those of you interested in ALL the details,
our Bylaws are available
for download in PDF format.
Our Club is an affiliate member of the Road
Runners Club of America. Through the RRCA, we are a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization.
Races
Being a running club it's only natural that we put on a couple
of running races ourselves. At present we have two: Loop
the Lake on Memorial Day weekend and Capital
Pursuit on Labor Day weekend. In addition, we sponsor
a number of other races in the
Greater Des Moines area. One of the benefits of membership
is a reduced entry fee at most of these events.
Donations
The Striders are philanthropic in giving back to our communities.
Over the years the Capital Striders have made contributions
to area youth track clubs, the Des
Moines Riverwalk project, the Des Moines Parks & Rec.
Department, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Living
History Farms. And let's not forget our scholarship
program. The Striders give back.
Social
It's hard to find a friendlier group than a bunch of runners.
We train and run hard (well, some of us do), and we all like
to play hard. The Striders host a variety of social events
throughout the year starting out on New
Year's Day with a run and potluck. Our Annual
Meeting and Dinner comes along in March and a late summer
picnic in August mark the permanent social schedule. However,
new social opportunities are cropping up all the time so check
this site often for updates.
Join Us
You're a runner. You live in or fairly near to Des Moines.
You should be a Strider. We'd love to have you join
us. The benefits of membership are numerous and more than
pay for your annual membership. So, what are you waiting for? |
